Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

But now the cause why God will ¹not be represented in any visible or sensible image is this. God is a spirit, God is unmeasurable, incomprehensible, unspeakable, all over and every where, filling heaven and earth, eternal, living, giving life unto and preserving all things, and lastly of a glorious majesty exalted above the heavens. But what is he that can portray a spirit in any Image or substance? God is an incomprehensible power, quickening and preserving all and every thing. But David describing Images, saith: The Idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the works of mens hands. They have ears and hear not, noses have they and smell not. They have hands and handle not, feet have they and walk not, neither is there any voice in the throat of them. Wherefore if these be compared to God, how like I beseech you are they unto him? To go about therefore to express God in any visible likeness, is the next way to dishonour God, and to bring him into contempt. Gods eye beholdeth all things, Idols see nothing. Gods ears hear all things, Idols hear nothing. By God all things live, move, and are preserved: the Idols them selves neither live nor move, and unless they be upheld by the men that make them, they fall and are dashed in pieces. An Idol breatheth not: GOD giveth to other a breathing spirit. Howe then, and wherein are these twain alike? In substance, or in shape? If ye say in substance, I answer, is God then of gold, of silver or of wood? If in shape, mine answer is, hath the invisible power of God then, put on visible and mortal members? Howe ²greatly therefore did the Anthropomorphites offend herein? If then there be no similitude of God, how cometh it to pass (I beseech you) that Images and Idols be called the likeness and pictures of God?

But nowe the cause why God wil ¹not be represented in any visible or sensible image is this. God is a spirit, God is vnmeasurable, incomprehensible, vnspeakable, all ouer and euery where, filling heauen and earth, eternall, lyuing, giuing life vnto and preseruing all things, and lastly of a glorious maiestie exalted aboue the heauens. But what is he that can portraye a spirite in any Image or substaunce? God is an incomprehensible power, quickening and preseruing all and euery thing. But Dauid describing Images, sayth: The Idoles of the heathen are siluer and golde, the workes of mens handes. They haue eares and heare not, noses haue they and smell not. They haue hands and handle not, feete haue they and walke not, neyther is there any voyce in the throate of them. Wherefore if these be compared to God, how like I beseeche you are they vnto him? To goe about therefore to expresse God in any visible likenesse, is the nexte way to dishonour God, and to bring him into contempt. Gods eye beholdeth all thinges, Idoles sée nothing. Gods eares heare all things, Idoles heare nothing. By God all things liue, moue, and are preserued: the Idoles them selues neyther liue nor moue, and vnlesse they be vphelde by ye men that make thē, they fall and are dasht in péeces. An Idole breatheth not: GOD giueth to other a breathing spirite. Howe then, and wherein are these twaine alike? In substance, or in shape? If ye say in substaunce, I aunswere, is God then of golde, of siluer or of wood? If in shape, myne aunswere is, hath the inuisible power of God then, put on visible and mortall members? Howe